***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

[eDave]

Originally Posted by stanleychief

I was sick the last two weeks with what I thought was the flu. I went to a drive up Covid testing location and had two nasal swabs done. One was for the rapid antigen test, and the other goes off to a lab for a PCR test if the antigen test is negative. Both came back negative. It's strange, because I lost my sense of smell, which is usually a giveaway sign for Covid.

I ran across a few articles that were talking about nasal swabbing returning false negative results for Omicron. Instead, a throat swab is also being recommended by a few doctors.

Is a throat swab with a nose swab a better way to detect omicron?

It makes me wonder if this 'flu' that I had was actually the omicron variant.

I have what you have and since before Christmas. I've just assumed it as Omnicron. Haven't been tested or whatever because it doesn't matter what I have. I'm just sick.

[Bearcat]

I don't understand how things have been status quo for hospitals for two ****ing years now with no fundamental changes in how they accept and deny patients and deal with capacity.

And I'm not saying it's as easy as denying unvaccinated Covid patients or there is a simple solution.... but good god, it's been two years. (well, almost)... and we keep doing the same shit like nothing is wrong.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I don't understand how things have been status quo for hospitals for two ****ing years now with no fundamental changes in how they accept and deny patients and deal with capacity.

And I'm not saying it's as easy as denying unvaccinated Covid patients or there is a simple solution.... but good god, it's been two years. (well, almost)... and we keep doing the same shit like nothing is wrong.

This was not believed to be "here forever". It was believed that there would only be a short term need, for several reasons.
I am not sure that you and or others understand what is required to accept more and more Covid positive patients. What the liability is for turning away any patient.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

This was not believed to be "here forever". It was believed that there would only be a short term need, for several reasons.
I am not sure that you and or others understand what is required to accept more and more Covid positive patients. What the liability is for turning away any patient.

Sure, with the first wave, there wasn't supposed to be a 2nd wave. Then with the 2nd wave, it wasn't supposed to survive another summer.... but what about waves 3 and 4 (I think we're up to), and eventually saying what the **** are we going to do if this continues?!

And there are already countless stories about patients being turned away or sitting in waiting rooms or in beds in hallways for hours on end.... again, not saying there is a single simple solution, but would expect something to be happening by now (and maybe there is and I just haven't seen it or we aren't privy to it).

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Sure, with the first wave, there wasn't supposed to be a 2nd wave. Then with the 2nd wave, it wasn't supposed to survive another summer.... but what about waves 3 and 4 (I think we're up to), and eventually saying what the **** are we going to do if this continues?!

And there are already countless stories about patients being turned away or sitting in waiting rooms or in beds in hallways for hours on end.... again, not saying there is a single simple solution, but would expect something to be happening by now (and maybe there is and I just haven't seen it or we aren't privy to it).

What would you think any of those solutions would entail? Build additional wings for the extra capacity needed? Do you realize how long, years, that would take? Where is all of that money going to come from? Hospitals, such as the one that I am employed at, have already rented every empty, vacant, or run down hotel/motel in the county. Those facilities do not have proper anything for medical care. It is easier to transport mobile equipment to those places than it is to remodel the entire facilities, the owners don't want that either, where there could be oxygen, medical air, medical vacuum just for starters. The construction requirements for medical buildings super exceed 99% of all other building types.

[keg in kc]

I've been hospitalized for two months. The first hospital I was only in for a half a day. I ended up in the second hospital, as i was told by staff from the first on my way out of the first, because it was the only available bed they could find in the entire KC metro at a facility with the staff and equipment I needed as a stroke. Because according to them (no way for me to verify) the area had been swamped with covid patients from south Dakota. But in my mind, I nearly died of my stroke, and had it happened because of that, I would have been literally killed by covid without ever even contracting it

I am in a rehab facility now for more intense therapy, there has been a small so far recent outbreak here, and now this place is back on strict protocols for everyone, staff, patient or visitor.

I am very good friends with a nurse from the second hospital now, and things are getting pretty rough for her there.

Just some personal anecdotes....

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I've been hospitalized for two months. The first hospital I was only in for a half a day. I ended up in the second hospital, as i was told by staff from the first on my way out of the first, because it was the only available bed they could find in the entire KC metro at a facility with the staff and equipment I needed as a stroke. Because according to them (no way for me to verify) the area had been swamped with covid patients from south Dakota. But in my mind, I nearly died of my stroke, and had it happened because of that, I would have been literally killed by covid without ever even contracting it

I am in a rehab facility now for more intense therapy, there has been a small so far recent outbreak here, and now this place is back on strict protocols for everyone, staff, patient or visitor.

I am very good friends with a nurse from the second hospital now, and things are getting pretty rough for her there.

Just some personal anecdotes....

Holy crap, dude. So sorry you've had that experience. How is the therapy going?

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I've been hospitalized for two months. The first hospital I was only in for a half a day. I ended up in the second hospital, as i was told by staff from the first on my way out of the first, because it was the only available bed they could find in the entire KC metro at a facility with the staff and equipment I needed as a stroke. Because according to them (no way for me to verify) the area had been swamped with covid patients from south Dakota. But in my mind, I nearly died of my stroke, and had it happened because of that, I would have been literally killed by covid without ever even contracting it

I am in a rehab facility now for more intense therapy, there has been a small so far recent outbreak here, and now this place is back on strict protocols for everyone, staff, patient or visitor.

I am very good friends with a nurse from the second hospital now, and things are getting pretty rough for her there.

Just some personal anecdotes....

Do you need anything? I can pack a box. ❤

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

What would you think any of those solutions would entail? Build additional wings for the extra capacity needed? Do you realize how long, years, that would take? Where is all of that money going to come from? Hospitals, such as the one that I am employed at, have already rented every empty, vacant, or run down hotel/motel in the county. Those facilities do not have proper anything for medical care. It is easier to transport mobile equipment to those places than it is to remodel the entire facilities, the owners don't want that either, where there could be oxygen, medical air, medical vacuum just for starters. The construction requirements for medical buildings super exceed 99% of all other building types.

Apologies if my post came off differently than intended... I didn't have a specific ax to grind or people to blame or whatever, it was mostly venting.

Typically when things are at a 'something's got to give' level of crap, something gives... and in corporate America, if that thing is expensive enough, it gets a lot of attention.

And it's just very disheartening to read the same news over and over as 'something gave' almost two years ago.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Apologies if my post came off differently than intended... I didn't have a specific ax to grind or people to blame or whatever, it was mostly venting.

Typically when things are at a 'something's got to give' level of crap, something gives... and in corporate America, if that thing is expensive enough, it gets a lot of attention.

And it's just very disheartening to read the same news over and over as 'something gave' almost two years ago.

Apologies if my post came across in a way not intended also. I can see where it could have seemed that way. At the hospital, I work at we "repurposed" 75 rooms for Covid. That means that there are 75 rooms that cannot be used for anything else. All Covid rooms have to be "negative pressure" to ensure that the virus cannot spread within the facility. To make those rooms negative pressure we had to remove the windows and install Lexan with a weather, insect, and vermin proof exterior hood, they look like an oversized dryer vent. Due to this if we have an available bed Covid patients come to us from anywhere within the state or from outside the state for overflow.
That also means that we have less capacity for all of the medical needs prior to Covid. It means that some cancer patients have to recuperate from home instead of getting the care that they really need.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Apologies if my post came across in a way not intended also. I can see where it could have seemed that way. At the hospital, I work at we "repurposed" 75 rooms for Covid. That means that there are 75 rooms that cannot be used for anything else. All Covid rooms have to be "negative pressure" to ensure that the virus cannot spread within the facility. To make those rooms negative pressure we had to remove the windows and install Lexan with a weather, insect, and vermin proof exterior hood, they look like an oversized dryer vent. Due to this if we have an available bed Covid patients come to us from anywhere within the state or from outside the state for overflow.
That also means that we have less capacity for all of the medical needs prior to Covid. It means that some cancer patients have to recuperate from home instead of getting the care that they really need.

The hospital here did that as well (at least during the first surge)... it wasn't many rooms, but looked like something out of ET, having to even zipper in and out. And I know hospitals have made huge strides in telehealth, plus reducing or eliminating elective surgeries, stories about new ICU units being "built" in parking garages; but battling against nurse shortages and other human or physical resources. A lot of lessons learned from the first surge (and I'm sure the 2nd, 3rd, 4th...), yet only so much they can do.

It's insane.

[keg in kc]

To those who asked Everything is going great for me so far. I have recovered very quickly according to pretty much everyone I work with. I have a follow up appointment with neurology later this week but I don't expect anything negative with that.

I feel bad sometimes, there are patients in here, some younger, who had their brain injuries after mine who can't get around much at all, much less as well as I do. I'm actuallycompletely unassisted now, free roam everywhere without a wheelchair or a walker or a cane or anything. Basically just need to work on strength and endurance.

[stanleychief]

Originally Posted by eDave

I have what you have and since before Christmas. I've just assumed it as Omnicron. Haven't been tested or whatever because it doesn't matter what I have. I'm just sick.

I had Delta in October. My wife never got sick or tested positive for Delta, despite being in close contact with me. Her Moderna shots worked wonders. My J&J shot did not. Delta knocked me on my ass for a few days, and hung around for several weeks. My lungs didn't feel 100% for about a month and a half.

Whatever this was, it hit quick, but not nearly as bad as Delta. It also didn't last very long. I had a pretty scratchy throat and that irritating cough that goes with it. No fever or chills though, and very little stuff happened in my lungs. My O2 levels were never below 95.

As for my wife, this time around, she got sick as well. This stuff hit her harder than it did me. She had some minor breathing difficulty and lost her sense of smell for three days. She also tested negative for Covid on a nasal PCR test.

I don't really care too much what this actually was either, other than to satisfy my own curiosity. I have elderly parents, so I had to avoid them over Christmas. Whether it was the flu or Covid, I used my best judgement to stay away.

Hope you get well soon!

[Pitt Gorilla]

Honestly, it's been pretty shocking how healthy my family has been. We send our 3 kids to schools daily. They all play sports against kids from all over and have practices several nights per week. I'm out and about daily and teach 120 or so University kids. NONE of us has been sick in the past year plus.

To provide context, I had covid a year ago September (most likely caught it from a student). None of my family members have had it, though. Since then, I've got 2 Pfizers plus a booster, as has my wife. All of our kids have 2 Pfizers. We also get flu shots yearly.

We're typically healthy, but this has seemed odd with seemingly everyone else falling like flies.

[Monticore]

just a bunch of rando COVID articles, i think it is time for them to abandon total case counts and just focus on COVID hospitalization numbers, this wave seems to be cause staff shortages due to sickness than hospitalization issues overwhelming hospitals in a different way.

Why COVID-19 hospitalizations of Canadian kids — and infants — could keep rising as Omicron spreads

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/med...sLZ?li=AAggNb9

Ontario hospitals urge pregnant people to get vaccine, cite infant COVID admissions

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/...zum?li=AAggFp5

Omicron and living with COVID: Why the new variant might change the timeline

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/med...h2B?li=AAggNb9

Omicron could boost waning immunity, shown in blood: Gov't COVID-19 advisers.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canad...la2?li=AAggNb9